Saturday, May 31, 2014

Well, it took 31 days to do it, but I made 200+ miles again for the month. Should I ever lose site of what this means, I just have to think that I have been averaging over 6 miles a day since December 1, 2013. This is the furthest I've gone in the shortest amount of time. At this pace I could and should break 2,000 miles for the first time ever in a year, and reach my next milestone of 15,000. With what I've been averaging, there is an outside chance that I may break the circumference of the Earth at around the year 2020. I'll will definitely have to have a Circumference of the Earth part for sure!

Today was a spectacular day for running. Karen joined me today and we headed west into Sea Cliff, a beautiful quaint little town with Victorian-styled homes, and little bistros and US flags peppered all around.

After to getting to see the spectacular north-west view of the Long Island, from which I could see the Avalon Towers in New Rochelle from there, we headed south on Prospect Street. A looong hill down, and you know what that means? Yep, you got it! A long hill up on the way back. When we got to the bottom of the hill, we were running along the water. We made our way to Tappen Beach, and then headed up. It was getting pretty hot, so I finally went shirtless.

It felt good to get out today. I had been sticking to the treadmill for the last few days due to my demanding work schedule, and not watching to miss any NY Ranger hockey either.

I feel like I'm a making a little bit of a mini-comeback, trying to get back to where I was in Toronto. But either way, it's all good. I'm blessed to be able to just turn on the jets at will.

Now for more serious running news. I am now 99 days away from the MAIN EVENT. And no, we're not talking about the New York City Marathon either, which doesn't take place for nearly 2 more months.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Knowing how much of a nervous wreck I've been while watching this East Conference Hockey Finals, I decided to do something about it. So tonight, after the first period ended, I jumped on my treadmill and started running. Any nervous energy would be taken out on the machine (no not me, the other machine that's under my feet, haha).

What a game. The hour and thirty eight minutes went by so fast, that I didn't even notice or care. The Rangers absolutely dominated the entire game. I figured that after outskating and outshooting the Canadians in the first period that they would be frustrated and would make mistakes. I figured that the Rangers would have tired themselves out, and that the Habs would come out strong, especially with a power play in their favor to start the second period. Wow. Was I ever wrong.

What the Rangers did was to turn it up a notch in the second period, forcing the hand of their opposition until they made them make a critical mistake, leading the Rangers to scoring the only goal of the game. However, it was the third period that was perhaps the most impressive. Because instead of resting on their laurels, or playing conservatively, the Rangers went on such a full out attack that the Canadians didn't even have the time to act desperate. This tenacity, this never-ending, never-say-die attitude is what personal victory is all about. The Rangers left it all out there on the ice. They never cared about how this might affect them post-game, all they cared about was achieving their goal, and they let nothing stop in their way.

And in that way, that is what all athletes aspire to be. Yes winning is great, but perhaps the greatest victory is to know that you've done everything you can to be the best at what you do. Leave nothing left over. Finish the quest with your tank on "E". That's how Steve Prefontaine, one of my running heroes, carried himself in every race, and even in every training run. To get to "E" you must live your life to the FULLEST, or to "F". E, F, my God, I'm beginning to sound like a subway announcer along the Queens Boulevard express lines!

Personal goals are so important to have. Create reachable goals, and then DO IT. And after you achieve your goal, have your next goal ready. Never stop, because something (like Satchel Paige once said), might be gaining on you. And in this case that would be the act of complacency. Find what it is that makes your engine go, and don't explore it, EXPLOIT IT. Tap into this over and over again until you can't think of anything else but to be relentless in your endeavors. Just like the Rangers were tonight.

The Rangers are now in the Stanley Cup finals. It took them twenty years to do it, but here they are just 1 step away. Remember this my when you feel like hanging up your sneakers because you tried hard but failed. Success is supposed to be sweet, because it's not an easy thing to attain. But I promise you that if you continue hard at it, that there will be a big reward waiting for you at the finish line. I look back at every running challenge I've faced, and I haven't won them all, but even those that I've lost, I've won. Why? Because sometimes we learn the most when we come up short. It's what makes us hungry.

I wasn't too impressed with my performance at the Brooklyn Half, despite it being my 12th fastest out of 52 Half Marathons that I've completed. But the end result of it was even more valuable then when I smoked out a 1:40:44 at the NYC Half. My resolve is unshakeable, and let me tell you that it's all exciting and fun. I wouldn't give up this hobby or quest of mine for anything in the world.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

After squeezing in 3 miles in what was an unordinarily cold end of May day, I got home and just wanted to sleep. I crashed out on my couch, as my kids were singing songs (very cute, I may add). Hopes of putting in more miles were fading fast, but I knew I just couldn't give in. That and my 169 pounds (9 pounds over maximum) didn't help either.
Against my nature, I changed, headed for the basement, hopped on the treadmill, and hoped for the best. I was just not in the mood to run, and for the first mile or so, I just felt like stopping and going upstairs. It's moments like these that truly define one's soul. And knowing what my dreams are (and have been for quite some time), I must treat each day, as an opportunity, and each opportunity as a precious moment to live to the max. Unless it's a scheduled rest day, you either train or you lose. There is no in between.
After my few couple of miles and with the music blasting me onward, I finally got my mojo going (not like the mojo from last night where I had to leave the house to give the NY Rangers a shot at winning - which they didn't, :-( ). I wound up with 11 miles, and 14 for the day. I felt so much better after I ran than before I did. Yet, I feel like this May was just an awful one. But still I must hold my head up high as I did accomplish a PR for my fastest 10k ever up in Toronto.
Lastly, I promised myself I would start blogging again. Been way too long. It's time to put this shit all together again.
Time is now.

Who Is The Machine?

I Am...Life.
I Am...Survivor.
I Am...Thriving.
I Am...Focused..
I Am...Directed.
I Am...Destined.
I Am...Determined.
I Am...Relentless.
I Am...Running.
I Am...Coming After It.
I Am...Coming After You.
I Am...Destroyer.
I Am...Creator.
I Am...Tempest.
I Am...Triumph.
I Am...Unbreakable.
I Am...Epic.
I Am...Machine.